Micheál Carrigy (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

Half four is our finish time so I have to move on. I have a few questions myself. I am a former member of Longford County Council so I know a lot of the work done by the local authority, particularly in actively pursuing derelict buildings in our county town and regional towns and going after the money to do works on them. I am familiar with many projects that have been done. The council has been extremely active in that.

I was in this committee room two years ago when the local authority was challenged to reduce its vacancy rate. The figures were given by the chief executive there. We are down to roughly 2.4%, on average. The reality is that comes with a cost, one which has been significantly borne by the local authority because it stood up to the challenge given by the Department and this committee.

I have a question for the Department on the grants we give. I have seen how successful croí cónaithe is in providing grants of up to €50,000 or €70,000 in towns and rural areas in my county. It is probably one of the best schemes brought in by the Department but I do not understand one thing. For a vacant house in Ballinalee, where I come from, you can get a grant of €50,000 to bring it up to standard. If it is a vacant social house, you will only get €11,000 to do it. Will the departmental officials explain where there is a difference? I do not understand. If the same works need to be done to the same house, the plasterer, electrician or whoever you want to get will charge the same money to do it. There is a significant shortfall for the local authority of €6 million over recent years. Loads of the other services have to be run in the county. Will someone explain why there is that difference? Everybody knows that, in the current climate, you would not get a room done for €11,000, never mind a house.